CROSS INTERNATIONAL INC
Organization Name provided in the GuideStar Exchange* as of 04/09/2014: CROSS INTERNATIONAL INC

Organization Name as listed in the IRS Business Master File as of 03/10/2015: CROSS INTERNATIONAL INC

* The GuideStar Exchange allows nonprofits to regularly update key information directly to GuideStar. It provides richer and broader information about their programs, impact, finances, people and more.

Basic Organization Information

CROSS INTERNATIONAL INC
Organization Name provided in the GuideStar Exchange* as of 04/09/2014: CROSS INTERNATIONAL INC

Organization Name as listed in the IRS Business Master File as of 03/10/2015: CROSS INTERNATIONAL INC

* The GuideStar Exchange allows nonprofits to regularly update key information directly to GuideStar. It provides richer and broader information about their programs, impact, finances, people and more.

Mission Statement

MISSION
True change comes from within. Physical change is not complete without sharing the Gospel. In order to break the cycle of poverty, we must first start with the heart. This refers to the active combination of word and deed; “holistic ministry”. We must share the hope and good news of the Gospel alongside our social work in order to see the Holy Spirit’s transformative power. Neither side of our ministry is complete without the other. We must address both to see a true transformation and to end the plague of extreme poverty.
We are a Christian ministry that serves the poorest of the poor internationally by channeling aid through existing churches or church-based ministries, cost-effectively helping the poor while advancing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
VISION
We seek to reflect God's love for us in the way we treat others - not only with words of encouragement, but through practical actions which comfort, sustain and uplift those in greatest need.
The Scriptures clearly reveal this call to action, and its truth will be our guide (1 John 3:16, Isaiah 58:6-12, Matthew 25:31-46, Acts 2:40-47).
As believers in Christ's Gospel of mercy, we strive to bring God's promised salvation to men and women of every race, creed and walk of life. Jesus also taught that the needy are rich in faith - a gift which can bless the poor in spirit. Therefore, we seek to create an exchange of both material and spiritual sustenance between the Church in America and churches in developing countries.
In all things, we strive to glorify God, revealing His perfect grace to the world.
FAITH
1. We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God.
2. We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
3. We believe in the deity and humanity of Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, in His present rule as Head of the Church and in His personal return in power and glory.
4. We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful men regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential.
5. We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit, by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.
6. We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost, they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.
7. We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ, with equality across racial, gender, and class differences.
VALUES
We want to value what God values. We want to conform our heart and mind to the heart and mind of God. Consequently, we humbly seek to be guided by the following core values in our ministry and to constantly seek the wisdom of God to improve our understanding and implementation of these principles.
1. We seek to provide food, clothing, shelter, medical care, education, economic opportunities and other such blessings to the poorest of the poor.
2. We seek to help the poor in Jesus' name and for the glory of God.
3. We seek to give priority to those efforts which empower the local church and Christian ministries which help the poor and which are also dedicated to the furtherance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
4. We seek to give priority to those churches and ministries which employ a community-oriented strategy in helping the poor and which increase the self-sufficiency of the poor.
5. We seek to foster an exchange between the churches of the Developing World and the churches of the First World and demonstrate respect for the vision of the churches and ministries with which we work.
6. We seek to maintain a high standard of excellence in our work, not sacrificing the quality of our work for the sake of quantity. And we seek to operate with integrity and honesty in respect to our donors and co-laborers.

Legitimacy Information

This organization is registered with the IRS.

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

Institutional funders should note that an organization’s inclusion on GuideStar.org
does not satisfy IRS Rev. Proc. 2011-33 for identifying supporting organizations.

Learn more about GuideStar Charity Check,
the only pre-grant due diligence tool that is 100% compliant with IRS Rev. Proc
2011-33.

The GuideStar Exchange allows nonprofits to regularly update key information directly to GuideStar. It provides richer and broader information about their programs, impact, finances, people and more.

April 2014)

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section, which enables organizations and donors to transparently share information about essential board leadership practices.

Board Orientation & Education

Why does this matter? Without clarity around their responsibilities and expectations, board members are not positioned to succeed. They may find themselves challenged to fulfill their governance responsibilities or frustrated by the expectations that the organization has set for them. BoardSource recommends that every new board member participate in a formal orientation process, and that all board members sign a pledge or agreement committing to their board service and to all of the responsibilities and expectations that come with service. Ideally, board members also should participate in a formal governance training program prior to serving on a board.

Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations?

Response Not Provided

CEO Oversight

Why does this matter? Oversight and management of the chief executive is one of the board’s most important legal responsibilities. The CEO or executive director is the board's single employee, and - just like any other employer/employee relationship - regular and written assessment is critical to ensuring that the chief executive and board are communicating openly about goals and performance. BoardSource recommends that boards conduct formal, written reviews of their chief executives on an annual basis, which should include an in-person discussion with the chief executive and distribution of the written evaluation to the full board.

Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year?

Response Not Provided

Ethics & Transparency

Why does this matter? A commitment to handling conflicts of interests is essential to creating an organizational culture of transparency. Boards should create and follow a policy for identifying and handling conflicts of interest, whether real or perceived. BoardSource recommends that organizations review the conflict-of-interest statement and require signed disclosures from all board members and senior staff on an annual basis.

Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements within the past year?

Response Not Provided

Board Composition

Why does this matter? The best boards are composed of individuals who bring a variety of skills, perspectives, backgrounds, and resources to tackle the complex and strategic challenges confronting their organizations. BoardSource recommends that boards commit to diversity and inclusion by establishing written policies and practices, which include strategic and intentional recruitment of diverse board members, continual commitment to inclusivity, and equal access to board leadership opportunities.

Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership?

Response Not Provided

Board Performance

Why does this matter? Boards need to regularly assess their own performance. Doing so ensures that they are being intentional about how they govern their organization, which is a critical component of effective board leadership. BoardSource recommends that a board conduct a self-assessment of its performance a minimum of once every three years to ensure that it is staying on track with its roles and responsibilities.

Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years?

Programs

The GuideStar Exchange allows nonprofits to regularly update key information directly to GuideStar. It provides richer and broader information about their programs, impact, finances, people and more.

April 2014)

Budget:

$100

Category:

Public, Society Benefit

Population Served:

General Public/Unspecified

Program Description:

Cross International serves the poor in more than 25 countries in the Caribbean, Central and South America, Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia – including Haiti, Mozambique and the Philippines. The organization provides resources to meet a wide variety of needs, including food, clothing, projects for safe water, medicines and medical equipment for clinics, materials for schools and self-help programs, houses for the homeless and micro-enterprise loans to promote self-sufficiency. Virtually all of these efforts are organized through Christian churches already in place overseas, which allows Cross International to offer one of the most cost effective charitable outreaches in the country. Since its inception, 95 percent or more of donations received are used for program services, with less than 5 percent used for administrative and fund-raising expenses. Cross is also noteworthy for offering donors opportunities to sponsor unique projects and urgent needs. The charity provides a project catalog of these needs on its website and donors who participate can use this process to fund efforts of many types in various countries. For example, an individual can sponsor the construction of a house for a group of AIDS orphans in a specific village in Africa or supply food to a specific school in Haiti or contribute to a medical outreach in the Philippines. Some projects are also seasonal or focused on special interest groups. For example, Cross International’s Harmony of Hearts program involves church worship teams and choirs in a music presentation that can benefit the poor overseas. Other programs are geared to church school use and highlight back-to-school programs, home building and other specific goals. While Cross International has been recognized by the U.S. government for its effectiveness and professionalism, most of the funding for the charity’s programs come from U.S. Christians and U.S. churches seeking to sponsor specific projects that will have a direct and meaningful impact on the poor.

Program Long-Term Success:

Cross International's goal is to make individuals and communities self-sufficient and many of its programs are specifically designed with that aim in mind. Many of the partners Cross works with have also developed greater capacity for service as a result of the support, growing their outreaches from small ministries into more sophisticated programs capable of greater service to the poor.

Program Short-Term Success:

Because Cross International targets unique, specific projects, the short term successes are direct and immediate. Sponsors who support projects are provided with follow-up reports and full final reports when work is completed.

Program Success Monitored by:

Cross International's vice president of missions and staff of field directors travel overseas regularly to visit sponsored programs and monitor the use of funds. The organization's accounting department is experienced with international missions work and performs professional audits and detailed financial reporting.

Program Success Examples:

Cross International is part of the Cross Alliance, which has provided the poor more than $1 billion in aid since its inception in 2001. Hundreds of individual projects have been successfully funded as a result. Independent studies have proven the effectiveness of this work. For example, medical teams have reported significant drops in infant/child fatalities in areas where Cross has launched safe water projects, feeding centers and/or medical outreaches.

The GuideStar Exchange allows nonprofits to regularly update key information directly to GuideStar. It provides richer and broader information about their programs, impact, finances, people and more.

Impact Summary from the Nonprofit

We seek to reflect God's love for us in the way we treat others -
not only with words of encouragement, but through practical actions
which comfort, sustain and uplift those in greatest need.
The
Scriptures clearly reveal this call to action, and its truth will be
our guide (1 John 3:16, Isaiah 58:6-12, Matthew 25:31-46, Acts 2:40-47).
As
believers in Christ's Gospel of mercy, we strive to bring God's
promised salvation to men and women of every race, creed and walk of
life. Jesus also taught that the needy are rich in faith - a gift which
can bless the poor in spirit. Therefore, we seek to create an exchange
of both material and spiritual sustenance between the Church in America
and churches in developing countries.
In all things, we strive to glorify God, revealing His perfect grace to the world.